Bhubaneswar, June 30: The Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh yesterday released the 2015 Elephant Census report of Odisha.

The Elephant Census report has revealed that elephant population in Odisha increased to 1,954 in 2015 from 1,930 in 2012.

He said that this has happened in spite of the man-animal conflict and scores of jumbo deaths.

Previously, 213 elephants were killed in the last three years in Odisha, mostly due to poaching and electrocution.

According to reports, 337 elephants were recorded to be present in Similipal jungle. As per the census, 341 elephants were identified as tuskers and 1,096 as cow elephants. Some 490 of them were below five years old.

The elephant population has shown a positive growth in 26 divisions and a negative growth in 14 divisions of the state.